STEM | HOW TO GET HIRED
Assessment Centres for Graduate STEM Jobs Elements such as group activities, presentations and tests are a mainstay of assessment centres. Find out what you should expect.
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any major recruiters use assessment centres as part of the selection process for their graduate schemes. The content varies from company to company, but there are numerous common elements. For instance, many assessment centres are designed around a corporation’s core competencies, so they usually focus on the skills most needed from graduate hires. Having technical competencies is obviously important, but having the right soft skills will really make the difference. After all, there’s really no point in designing a brilliant new product or system if you can’t communicate the concept to colleagues, convince them of its potential value, or adapt your ideas in light of practical or commercial considerations.
Typical activities at assessment centres Common tasks at assessment centres generally include the following: • Interviews: There may be technical interviews, competency-based interviews, or both. • Group activities: These often involve discussing and making decisions around a given business issue in small group. • Giving a small presentation: Some recruiters give applicants the topic for the assessment centre presentation in advance so they have a chance to prepare, much like discussing a technical project they may have previously been involved with, for example. Others give candidates their topic on the day itself. This often relates to the employer’s business and may involve candidates doing fact-finding or decision-making before presenting their conclusions. • Tests: These can include psychometric tests in reasoning or numeracy. Other tests include personality questionnaires and quizzes to check if the candidate understands the basic principles of the area in which the firm works.
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STEM Career Guide 2022
